Police Seek Local Man, Woman
After Gun Theft in Bethel
By Sandy Cooch

State police are seeking a 24-year-old Randolph man and a 23-year-old Braintree woman in connection with the theft of five handguns from a Bethel sporting goods store early last Thursday.

Police allege that Justin Lemieux was wearing a ski mask, just after midnight on Thanksgiving, when he entered Locust Creek Sporting Goods by smashing a small window, and quickly grabbed the guns. The theft was recorded by a security camera, and an alarm was activated.

Renada Walters, driving a gray 2005 Hyundai Accent two-door hatchback, is alleged to be the getaway driver.

Two days after the burglary, police recovered two of the guns and charged the men who bought them with possession of stolen handguns.

Timothy Driscoll, 54, of Washington, and Frank Driscoll, 27, of Chelsea, were arrested Saturday at 6 a.m., for buying the guns. The two men were released with a citation to appear in Washington District Court.

State police, who consider Lemieux to be very dangerous, are seeking citizen assistance in locating both him Walters, who is wanted for aiding and harboring Lemieux.

Lemieux is described as 5'10", 160 pounds, with brown eyes and hair.

Renada Walters is 5'5", 130 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. The license issued to her Hyundai is DWT 779.

"Anyone coming in contact with these subjects should immediately contact their local police or the VSP Royalton at 234-9933," police said this week.

Lemieux is also wanted on an arrest warrant in Hartford for failure to pay a fine for driving with a suspended license. His license had been suspended for a prior DUI conviction, court records indicate.

A strikingly similar gun theft occurred early Sunday morning in Barre, when an unknown thief used a rock to smash a window at R&L Archery and then took five semi-automatic handguns. Police have not indicated whether they believe there is any connection between the two burglaries, both of which were described as "smash and grab" thefts.

The Barre theft was also caught on tape, and the perpetrator is described as 5’ 10" to six feet tall, and was wearing a dark sweatshirt and a t-shirt with the words "South Pole" on front. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Barre police.